The present invention relates to a cover or tarping system for a container, especially a dump body on a vehicle. The invention is particularly suited for side-to-side cover systems and side-dumping vehicles.
A wide array of open-topped containers is provided for storing and hauling various materials, ranging from refuse to agricultural products. When the open-topped container is carried by vehicle, a cover system is highly preferable to protect the contents from the elements and to eliminate the effects of wind as the vehicle travels along the road. Just as there are many types of open-topped containers, there are an equal number of types of cover systems for these containers, and especially cover systems for dump bodies on vehicles.
In one particular type of system, the cover or tarpaulin is conveyed from one long side of the vehicle to the other side to alternately cover or expose the contents of the container. In some systems, a spring-biased deployment apparatus is utilized in which a torque generated by a number of torsion spring causes the cover to be deployed. In these types of systems, a motor, such as an electric or a hydraulic motor, is used to provide powered deployment of the cover. In some systems, the motor operates directly upon bail arms that are attached to a free end of the tarpaulin. In other systems, the motor drives a roll tube to which the free end of the flexible cover is connected. The motor rotates the roll tube so that the tarpaulin winds and unwinds around the bar.
In most side-to-side cover systems—i.e. cover systems that move across the width of the container from one long side to the other side—a motor is required due to the extremely long and heavy tarpaulin. One such system of this type is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,002,328 to Walter Michel. In this system a telescoping arm is pivotably mounted to one end of the vehicle container body. A drive motor is mounted to the free end of the telescoping arm, which motor is then connected to the roll tube of the flexible cover. As the motor is operated to rotate the roll tube, the tube rolls along the end cap of the container to wind or unwind the tarpaulin from around the roll tube.
The use of the side-to-side spanning flexible covers is complicated when applied to a side-dumping container. One container of this type is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,480,214 to Ralph Rogers. As shown in FIG. 1, the side-dump trailer 10 includes a vehicle frame 11 that supports a dump body 13 that spans the length of the trailer. In a common application, the dump body 13 is configured to haul rock, gravel, dirt, rip rap, etc.
The side-dump trailer 10 of this type is configured so that it can be tipped from either side of the trailer 11. Thus, the dump body 13 is provided with a pair of rocker pin assembly 15 on opposite sides of the body. Each rocker pin assembly 15 includes an axle 16 that is mounted within a saddle support assembly 18 connected to the vehicle frame 11. A pivot assembly cylinder 20 is mounted between the vehicle frame 11 and the top of the dump body 13.
When the vehicle is being driven on the road, the dump body is in its hauling position 13′ as shown in phantom lines. However, when it is desired to dump the load, the pivot pin 16 can be released from the saddle support assembly 18 on one side of the vehicle frame 11. The pivot assembly cylinder 20 is then actuated to push against the top of the dump body 13 causing it to pivot about the axle 16 and saddle support assembly 18 on the opposite of the vehicle. Alternatively, the rocker pin assembly 15 can be released on the opposite side of the vehicle so that the dump body 13 can pivot on the other side of the vehicle frame 11.
While side-dumping vehicles such as vehicle 10 are very versatile, they present difficulties for the mounting and control of flexible cover systems. The present invention addresses and solves these difficulties.